Non idle air condition system

ABSTRACT

A non idle air condition system, especially for a vehicle, is provided that includes a blower, a main evaporator, an auxiliary evaporator for a non idle mode and a heater core. The non idle air condition system needs less space by a high airflow performance, and uses the same condensate drains by the main evaporator and the auxiliary evaporator.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention refers to a non idle air condition system. The non idle air condition system, especially for a vehicle, comprises a blower, a main evaporator, an auxiliary evaporator for a non idle mode and a heater core.

2. Description of the Background Art

Especially commercial trucks use non idle air condition system having a conventional refrigeration system driven by a combustion engine and one refrigeration system operated by an electric compressor for cooling the cabin by stopped combustion engine. Every refrigeration system requires other oil for its refrigeration loop. Consequently, two evaporators are needed.

Conventional HVAC modules are shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. A first non idle air condition system 9 of FIG. 3 shows a blower 10, a main evaporator 11, an auxiliary evaporator 12 and a heater core 13. The main evaporator 11 is driven by the combustion engine while the auxiliary evaporator is operated by an electric compressor. Main evaporator 11 and auxiliary evaporator 12 are placed at different locations in the non idle air condition system 9. Every evaporator 11, 12 needs a separate condensate drains. For this arrangement a lot of space is necessary for the air condition system.

FIG. 2 depicts a second embodiment of a conventional non idle air condition system 14 where the main evaporator 15 and the auxiliary evaporator 16 are arranged in series because the auxiliary evaporator 16 is smaller as the main evaporator 15. Even if the auxiliary evaporator 15 requires not as much air conditioning performance as the main evaporator 15 two separate condensate drains are necessary. Furthermore, pressure drop increases extremely wherefore the airflow is less and a higher noise level is generated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The problem addressed in this invention is to indicate a non idle air condition system, which needs less space by a high airflow performance.

Therefore, in an embodiment of the present invention, the same condensate drains can be used by the main evaporator and the auxiliary evaporator. Application of only one condensate drains for both the main evaporator and the auxiliary evaporator demands to bring the evaporators closely together for which reason space is reduced in the air condition system. Furthermore, airflow performance reduction is minimized and costs are decreased because of economy of one condensate drains.

In another aspect of invention, the main evaporator and the auxiliary evaporator are assembled face to face with a direct touching between the main evaporator and the auxiliary evaporator. Hence, the space for the HVAC module is reduced more.

In addition, the main evaporator can be mounted in a correct airflow direction while the auxiliary evaporator is mounted in an incorrect airflow direction. The advantage of this arrangement is in a better airflow and a reduced noise level because the pressure drop only minor increases.

Furthermore, the main evaporator and the auxiliary evaporator can be integrated in one heat exchanger. By equal dimensions of the main evaporator and the auxiliary evaporator a compact unit is created which handling during the assembling process is simplified.

In another aspect of the invention, the refrigerant loop of the main evaporator and the refrigerant loop of the auxiliary evaporator can be combined in the heat exchanger. This could be achieved by sizing the individual circuits according to performance requirements. Because of this embodiment retrofit capability of the only one heat exchanger is improved.

Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitive of the present invention, and wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a first embodiment of non idle air condition system according to the invention,

FIG. 2 illustrates a further embodiment of non idle air condition system according to the invention,

FIG. 3 illustrates a first embodiment of non idle air condition system according to the conventional art,

FIG. 4 illustrates a second embodiment of non idle air condition system according to the conventional art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of non idle air condition system according to the invention. The non idle air condition system 1 has a blower 2. The blower 2 absorbs air from the outside and leads the air to a main evaporator 3 or an auxiliary evaporator 4. The auxiliary evaporator 4 is positioned face to face on the main evaporator 3. The sizes of both the main evaporator 3 and the auxiliary evaporator 4 are equal. It is not necessary, that the auxiliary evaporator 4 requires the same air conditioning performance as the main evaporator 3. Considering the tubes 6 the main evaporator 3 is mounted in correct airflow direction. Contrary, the auxiliary evaporator 4 is mounted in incorrect airflow direction with a minor loss in performance. Both evaporators 3, 4 lead the air from the blower to the same heater core 5 during heating mode. Because the main evaporator 3 is driven by a combustion engine it is used if the vehicle is travelling. Is the combustion engine stopped and the vehicle parked the auxiliary evaporator 4 is used for cooling the cabin.

Another embodiment of the invention is depicted in FIG. 2. The non idle air condition system 7 comprises a main evaporator 3 and an auxiliary evaporator 4 which are integrated in one heat exchanger 8. The both refrigerant loops of the main evaporator 3 and the auxiliary evaporator 4 are combined in the one heat exchanger 8. This could be achieved by sizing the individual refrigerant loops according to performance requirements.

Both discussed embodiments of the invention have the advantage that only one condensate drains is required for the main evaporator 3 and the auxiliary evaporator 4. An only minor increase of pressure drop allows a better airflow and a reduced noise level. Both systems are retrofit.

The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are to be included within the scope of the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A non idle air condition system for a vehicle, the system comprising: a blower; a main evaporator; an auxiliary evaporator for a non idle mode; and a heater core, wherein the same condensate drains are used by the main evaporator and the auxiliary evaporator.
 2. The non idle air condition system according to claim 1, wherein the main evaporator and the auxiliary evaporator are assembled face to face with a direct touching between the main evaporator and the auxiliary evaporator.
 3. The non idle air condition system according to claim 2, wherein the main evaporator is mounted in a correct airflow direction while the auxiliary evaporator is mounted in an incorrect airflow direction.
 4. The non idle air condition system according to claim 1, wherein the main evaporator and the auxiliary evaporator are integrated in one heat exchanger.
 5. The non idle air condition system according to claim 4, wherein the refrigerant loop of the main evaporator and the refrigerant loop of the auxiliary evaporator are combined in the heat exchanger. 